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QUEANBEYAN SHOWGROUND ON FIRE
About 450 firefighters gathered from 10-12 September
2004 for the 16th RFS State Championships at
Queanbeyan to display their emergency skills and
compete against crews from around the State.
Two crews from the ACT and an Royal Australian
Air Force (RAAF) team joined 23 teams from NSW
RFS. Major sponsors of the event were Gilbert &
Roach Isuzu and GAAM Emergency Products.
Commissioner Phil Koperberg opened the
Championships on Saturday morning and the Mayor
of Queanbeyan welcomed firefighters. After a
parade at the showground, volunteers armed with
tankers, chainsaws and radio communications,
tested their skills and equipment in simulated
emergency situations.
Fake structures were set ablaze and obstacle
courses constructed.
A highlight event was the realistic motor vehicle
accident held away from the showground on
Jerrabomberra Hill.
Crews responding to the MVA were surprised to
find a fuel tanker (bulk water carrier) and car had
collided with jet fuel leaking. The tanker driver
wandered the road in a daze, the car contained a
driver, passenger and baby.
As well as providing a realistic incident for the
crews, this event particularly tested crew leader
skills as they managed the incident.
The Rural Fire Driving event featured a “man-made”
mountain in the middle of the field. Unable to see
over the top, drivers were confronted with numerous
obstacles and uneven surfaces once over the hill.
It can be cold in Queanbeyan at that time
of year, and this year was no exception. All
competitors received a commemorative “beanie”
that became very useful over the two days.
Some wet weather required a temporary halt to
proceedings and a rapid rethink of events both for
safety reasons and competitor well being.
While some events were truncated, every team was
more than able to demonstrate their skills and ability.
The Junior events were scaled back, however each
and every Junior team received a prize pack that more
than compensated for the shortened program.
The Royal Australian Air Force displayed
their airport fire tender when events concluded
on Sunday. Its speed and manoevrability were
impressive. The tender monitor can propel water
about 50m while moving.
Assistant Commissioner Mark Crosweller and the
Queanbeyan Mayor presented victorious teams with
awards on Sunday.
Appreciation was given to the marshals, time
keepers, caterers and supporters, as well as
the competing teams, for their attendance and
enthusiasm (particularly in wet and cold conditions
on the Saturday).
The winner of the Senior event was Oakville
Rural Fire Brigade (Hawkesbury) followed in second
place by Ingleside (Warringah Pittwater) and in
third place Forbes.
The winner of the Junior event was Oakville,
second place to Llandilo and third place to Lachlan.
The RAAF won the visiting team competition.
The ACT crews also performed well in the emergency
OAKVILLE JUNIORS
The eight junior members of the Oakville
Rural Fire Brigade feel that RFS membership
is not just a social activity for them, but an
opportunity to assist the brigade and the
community. This expresses the volunteer spirit
of our junior members today.
Self-esteem, leadership, life experience,
and recognition are not just words to these
young future firefighters. When assisting senior
members of the brigade in station duties
during recent fire incidents they conducted
themselves with pride and confidence when
preparing meals and other duties assigned to
them. At 14 and 15 years of age, being dressed
in RFS yellows “is just the best feeling and it's
great to belong”.
When asked “what is it like to be a junior
member of the RFS?’’ The Oakville juniors
answer "it is an experience and an adventure.”
The Oakville juniors have achieved
more than just their dreams. In September
this year they competed in the RFS State
Championships and were overall winners of the
junior’s section. However, they were not just
out to win, but to revel in the spirit of the
Championships, that they had heard so much
about from the senior members of the brigade.
Running on their current success at the State
Championships they competed in the St Pauls
events with Rivers coming third in communication
fireground procedures. The next State Championships
will be held in Barooga, Berrigan Shire, in 2006.
SENIOR COMPETITION
EVENT FIRST SECOND THIRD
Challenge Oakville Winmalee Grafton
Light Tanker Oakville Stoney Creek Ingleside
Rural Fire Driving Ingleside Oakville RAAF
Old/New Equipment Forbes Grafton Queanbeyan
Structural Fire Winmalee Forbes Oakville
Equipment Failure Winmalee Oakville Grafton
Chainsaws Oakville Dundee StoneyCreek/Ingleside
Communication Oakville Ingleside Rivers
Crew Leader
RAAF
CADETS/JUNIOR COMPETITION
EVENT FIRST SECOND THIRD
Handtool & Water Tumut St Pauls Seahampton
Emergency Alectown Warringah Oakville
Equipment Failure Llandilo Lachlan Seahampton
Communication Llandilo Oakville St Pauls
Tanker Lachlan St Pauls Oakville
Crew Leader
Llandilo
THE FUTURE OF VOLUNTEERS
DEPENDS ON THE YOUTH OF TODAY
Junior’s Championships held in October and once
again came first.
With true dedication, they trained every Tuesday
night and Saturday for weeks on end to improve
their skills as a team and to prepare for the events.
Guidance and training was provided by the senior
members from the Oakville brigade. The strong
relationship between the members of the brigade
will assist the juniors with their future in the RFS,
as the junior members stated; they will always be
with the Oakville brigade.
The Oakville Junior’s meet every Tuesday night
between 7.00pm and 9.30pm. New members are
welcome.
Left to Right; Graham Gough, Kirsten Sandell,
Katrina Vernon, Nichole Powe, Lewis Powe.
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